8 Days Classic Uganda Primate safari

The Classic Uganda Primate safari

Overview

Uganda has the highest concentration of primates on earth, including the endangered mountain gorilla, one of the rarest animals on the planet.This Uganda Primate safari is the antithesis of the sedentary safari experience without being overly strenuous and showcases the beauty and rich biodiversity of the country.

Highlights of this Safari

Chimp tracking in Kibale Forest with an optional full day chimp habituation experience

Excellent game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Optional second chimp tracking in Kyambura Gorge

Unforgettable meeting with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival Entebbe International Airport

Arrive Entebbe International Airport to be picked up by an Africa Sceneries guide after clearing customs. Your Africa Sceneries guide will have a sign that has your name on it and will transfer you to your accommodation for the night.

Overnight: The Boma Hotel

Meals: Breakfast

Day 2 – Entebbe – Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast with driver/guide will set off to Western Uganda, to Fort Portal. Traveling on both asphalt and unpaved roads, you pass through traditional Ugandan Villages where you see people at work tending their traditional crops. Keep your eyes open for a variety of birds that perch on the fence rows and power lines along the way. Continue past the expansive tea plantations around Fort Portal and on to your

The drive takes 5 to 7 hours so we will arrive in time in Fort Portal for lunch.

After lunch we will shake off the drive with a walk to the Bigodi swamp. The Bigodi Swamp is a paradise for bird watchers. Skilled birders can spot up to fifty new species on a bird list. Today, 138 species of bird have been recognized within the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary and among the major bird species within the sanctuary is the grand Blue Turaco. The swamp also harbours several primates’ species like the red colobus monkey, baboon, black & white colobus monkey, blue monkey grey cheeked, mangabey, vervet monkey, red tailed monkey and the L’Hoest monkey

Accommodation: Crater Safari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 – Chimpanzee tracking and to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing after which you will embark on a chimp tracking excursion. These primates are very mobile and viewing them is unpredictable but a forest walk is an enriching activity that starts at 8.00 am taking about 4 hours. Thisforest is home to a large number of chimpanzees and other primates including L’hoestes, Red-colobuses, Blues, Red-tailed, grey cheeked mangabeys, birds, and butterflies. Your expert guide will share the secrets of the forest’ flora and fauna, ensuring that the trail is both informative and enjoyable. Though much harder to see, the park is also home to buffalo, leopard, bushpig, elephant and duiker along with 144 species of butterflies.

After the tracking, equipped with a packed lunch you will drive towards Queen Elizabeth National Park. The approximately 3-hour drive takes you past volcanic crater lakes; on a clear day one can see the famous “Mountains of the Moon”, the Rwenzori Mountains.

Enjoy a late afternoon game drive. Queen Elizabeth which is the e most popular park in Uganda as it offers diverse ecosystems, classic big game, and 10 primate species and over 600 bird species. Driving across the grassland plains, you can see elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, waterbuck, bushbuck and warthog.

Accommodation: Katara Lodge

Meals: Brekafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 – Queen Elizabeth National Park

After an early morning warm up tea or coffee, you will head for a game drive along Kasenyi tracks and Queens mile in search of animals like: lions, elephants, cape buffalos, warthogs, spotted hyenas, mangoose, waterbucks, kobs and, if you're lucky, the leopard, and a great number of bird species, return for a full breakfast, relax into the lunch break and after lunch you will be transferred to enjoy a unique two hour boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. This launch cruise gives you a great opportunity for photography, bird watching and game viewing at close range. The prolific bird life is colourful and stupendous with well over 550 resident species.

Accommodation: Katara Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 – Ishasha - Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, you’ll move to the northern end of the park. In this area the biodiversity and animals show greater affinity to Central African forests rather than East African forests. You’ll then travel south into the remote and open Ishasha plains in the southwest of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Famous for tree-climbing lions in the fig trees, the Ishasha plains are also home to elephants, Ugandan kob, topi, eland, buffalo, wart hogs, and other savannah wildlife. The Ishasha River supports a healthy hippo population. The Ishasha River runs through this part of the park and it supports a healthy hippo population. Wildlife view with a picnic lunch. After lunch, you will continue the drive south into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest region

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After lunch, continue the drive south into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest region. Bwindi Forest is a World Heritage Site and it is a magnificent swathe of forest that crosses the Albertine Rift Valley. This ancient rainforest – one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last Ice Age – is one of the most biologically diverse in Africa. Bwindi has at least 90 mammal species, including 11 different primates. Late afternoon arrival at the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest park gate.

Overnight: Mahogany Springs

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 – Gorilla tracking

The most exciting day of your safari, you will head to the visitors’ reception centre where a clear briefing will be given to you on what you can expect during the day as well as safety rules and behavior when you are meeting the gentle giants.

After the introduction it is time for you to start searching for the Gorillas. Depending on where the Gorillas are located we can never tell you how long it will take for you to see them. But please keep in mind that it can be active, adventurous, sometimes a bit difficult but definitely a worth it experience, that can last a full day. Depending on the duration of the track you can either relax in the afternoon at the lodge and just enjoy the view or go for another walk around and explore the village or walk up to the highest football field with the best view ever.

Overnight: Mahogany Springs

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Bwindi Impenetrable national park – Lake Mburo national park.

After breakfast, transfer to Lake Mburo national park. Lake Mburo National Park is an underrated gem of a park, this park is home to 350 bird species as well as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck. You will enter the park gates and check in at the lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon head out for an extensive game drive where you will spot Burchell’s Zebras, Elands, Buffalo, Elephants, Impalas Giraffes and if you are lucky a Leopard too.

Overnight: Rwakobo Rock

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Lake Mburo – Kampala/ Airport transfer.

Early morning warm up tea, transfer for a game drive in the park. Return to your lodge for full breakfast and then proceed to Kampala. You will have a day room available for you to take a shower and have dinner before being transferred to the airport for your departure flight back home.